Darkness, my old friend
by PetraAmia
Summary: The world is dark and cold, but something inside him runs wild. The longing he feels for her cannot be stopped, and only once he can find peace in silence can he truly know what he can have. With war raging around them, he tried to keep her alive. Were!Draco x Hermione Inspired by the Disturbed version


Hello Darkness my old friend, I've come to talk to you again. Because a vision softly creeping, left its seeds while I was sleeping .

The beast was silent tonight, almost a first, this being so close to full moon. He sat poised in the back of his mind, always watching and pacing. The sudden silence of the beast was both a blessing and a curse. He was alone in his head, and yet he knew that he should be worried. The beast was never silent. It should have been the first clue that the night was off. Being on edge was nothing new to him, he had been all summer. Coming back to the school was something he was not looking forward to. The punishment he had received due to his lines weakness...

His body was exhausted, as always this close to the moon cycle. Professor had set him up in this shack so that he could be alone with the beast. There was a magical barrier locking him out of the passage once the beast took over, and a wall around the village so that they couldn't see him and he couldn't see them. He cleaned the space and folded his clothes neatly on the dresser in the corner. The clothes never lasted through the turn, and he had only a few hours before the sun no longer held its position in the sky and he turned into the beast.

The bed was worn yet comfortable. Once the beast took over it wouldn't matter, but as his human skin still covered his bones, he laid down on the bed and closed his eyes. There was no intention of getting sleep, he had taken his potion and waited out the turn. Tonight, however, the beast had other ideas. Almost from the moment his head hit the pillows, he was asleep. His mind wandered into places it shouldn't have gone giving his beast free reign. In his mind there was a forest, trees as far as the eyes can see, tall blocking out the stars. He was standing, in his human skin, feeling the cool air on his face when a scent hit his nose. Warm, comforting, seductive. The scent called to him and he couldn't help but follow it. He tried to place it, to name it but he couldn't.

It was there on the tip of his tongue, the name, but he couldn't reach it. He could sift it, name parts, but as a whole he was lost. Parchment, cinnamon, honey, bergamot, tea, honeysuckle... It teased his senses. He wanted the source. His nose dictated where he should go and he followed it blindly. The beast was awake in his mind, pushing him to move faster to the scent. The beast wants it too. They stopped at a pond, the scent was heady, thick... She was here... She?

His head scanned the trees around the lake, his eyes caught themselves on a red and gold tie hanging from a low branch. His heart rate accelerated as he closed in on the tie, it held her scent. There was a cloak and some shoes on the ground under the tie doused in the scent. The beast wanted to roll around on it. He could feel the beast take over, the fur sprout from his skin, the bones reshaping, and yet... And yet there was no pain.

A whimper close to his left drew his attention. The beast stood tall, hackles raised, tail twitching. Another of his kind stumbled into the space, clumsy, still disoriented from the change. The difference being the scent, it closely matched that from the clothes that he had wanted to roll over, distinctly feminine. Something in him snapped to attention. The other wolf looked over at him, her snout raising in his direction. Her highly intelligent eyes followed the lines of his body, he felt like preening. Her ears twitched as she stepped closer, her snout pulling in his scent. Something in her honeyed eyes made him growl. She came close and rubbed her snout against his neck, taking in his scent where it was strongest. HIs growl deepened as she turned her back to him and smacked his nose with her tail before bolting into the trees. Her scent had changed, became more heady. She was aroused.

The vision fades away as the pulse of change courses through him. Pain radiating from the inside and pushing outward, stretching bones and flesh, fur sprouting and nails elongating. The pain is all too real now. His eyes flashed open a swirling amber and he howled to the moon. This time the sound wasn't frantic as it always was this time it was sad and somber. A wolf missing the one thing he cannot have, his mate.

And the vision that was planted in my brain...still remains... Within the sound of silence...

Failure, it reeked out of his pores to any that could smell it. Luckily there seemed to not be another creature in the near vicinity that could. He longed for true companionship, that vision of the she wolf plagued him like a curse. Something he wanted so desperately yet could never have. The only companion he had these past few weeks was a half kneazle that seemed a might bit familiar but he couldn't place it. Like the scent of his mate.

The word tasted bitter on his tongue as he thought of his last failure. The beast in his head whined in sympathy. He was sent back to this school to kill someone, something he wanted no part of, and all he had done up to this point was bollocks the whole thing. He may now be a beast, but he did not actually want to hurt anyone. Stuck in this endless cycle of failure. He wanted to howl in frustration but it wasn't near the full moon. Besides the Great hall was not the place to unleash his beast, too many innocent people here. His eyes wandered the crowd searching for those eyes that seemed to be painted on the inside of his eyelids. It was in that moment that he heard her : "Harry Look!" He stood and walked to the center of the isle, his eyes almost frantic and he saw her face, the concern, the worry, then the recognition.

Recognition washed over him in waves; It was her! She is here! Want! I know her... I have known her for years. Granger... It was in that moment that his heart splintered. His beast was now a part of him, he knows what the man needs, he can see inside the human soul and he has found a match. In the one woman who would never want him near her. Tears threatened to spill from his face as he dashed out of the great hall, not once caring who had seen him distressed. All that Slytherin and Pureblood posturing flew out the window as the tears fell from his face. She could never want a monster like me. Not only am I a beast, but I am a Malfoy. The complete opposite of Hermione Granger. I'm worthless scum. He made it into the bathroom blindly grasping the cool porcelain under his hands. The water started flowing with a quick flick of his wrist. Cool water splashed onto his face through his tears. The shaking started then as the sobs wracked his shrunken frame.

"Malfoy!" The shout of his name made him whirl and grit his teeth. The beast in him wanted to tear into the other man, one that was always so near his mate. His wand was in his hand out of sheer habit, raised against the intruder to his private thoughts. How dare Potter interrupt his grieving, for the one thing he wanted but could not have. His mouth opened to say something, and his wand moved prompting the witless wonder to shoot off a spell that shot through him. The pain was immense, yet different than what he was used to. Moth opened and closed softly gasping for air, yet he was so cold it felt like it wasn't worth the effort.

One's mind wanders when it is close to death, as Draco's did in that moment. There was warmth here in his head, even as something soft brushed his nose. Here he could recount all the stupid things he had done, all the foolish things he had done in his youth. Something brushed his nose again. His hand reached up to swat at it with a growl, and he heard this tinkling sound. Soft laughter, "Draco?" Cool grey eyes snapped open to see those honeyed eyes. "You need to breathe Draco, please?" He could hear the worry, he could feel her pain. His eyes asked the question his voice could not. "I am here because you need me. I am her beast Draco, she has not found me yet, soon, but not yet. She will need you, as I do. It is not your time. You need to breathe, " A hand was pressed hard on his chest. "It always gets worse before it gets better, you are not at the bottom yet. There will be a time when you can take the final sleep, but it is a long ways away. Breathe now, for her." She took one of his hands and placed it over her stomach. "For them, for us, you need to breathe..."

Air sucked into his lungs made warmth return to his body and he could swear he could feel a smile against his lips as his eyes fluttered. "Mr Malfoy should recover, however Mr Potter, I want all your school books now." He could hear his potions master direct the witless wonder out of what he assumed was the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey was over in the corner fussing with her cauldron, a first year and his classmate were whispering over in the corner about a broken wrist from flying lessons, and there was another heartbeat he could hear. The owner of said heartbeat was silent, until Pomfrey and Snape settled themselves a distance away to speak. He felt it then, a soft touch of skin on his face. Her scent surrounded him and he wanted nothing more than to open his eyes and look at her.

"How could he do this to you?" She was touching his hair now, brushing it from his face. "I told him that book was no good, he didn't want to listen. Draco..." A tear hit his face, and his fingers ached to hold her. All he could do was try and tilt his head more to her fingers. "Please pull through..."

The sound of a door slamming in the distance made her gasp ad pull away from him. A whimper was torn from his lips moments before something soft pressed against his cheek, then her footsteps retreated. A kiss. His beast wanted to howl.

In restless dreams I walked alone. Narrow streets of cobblestone, 'neath the halo of a street lamp. I turned my collar to the cold and damp...

This was it, his moment. The air was thick tonight with tension. Low heavy mists surrounded the black lake. Tonight was the night. Could he do the task set before him or would he fall to the Dark Lord for yet another failure. A parchment landed in his lap as he stared up at the moon. He knew the headmaster was out of the castle until later so he decided to wait. Curious he opened the paper.

Draco,

I know what you have to do, I have worked it out. I have been keeping an eye on you all year, and you are not alone. He knows too, you don't have to do this. You are not alone. Meet me on the seventh floor in front of the room of requirement. We need to talk.

H

The note held the scent of his mate, the words were cryptic but he knew what she was saying. She knew. Dashing off into the castle, he made his way up to the seventh floor. Her scent was heavy here nearest the entrance to the room of requirement. A hand snaked out and pulled him into the room. Turning, and poised to attack he saw her curls. "Shhh... this way, " She urged him forward into the room and over to a comfy looking couch. "We don't have much time before Harry and Dumbledore get back, but... Dumbledore knows."

His mouth opened to speak, but she put a finger to his lips. "I know there are a lot of things that need to be said, but I need you to listen. You cannot kill Dumbledore, falter, hold him off until Snape arrives, but do not kill him. Promise me Draco." Her hands were in his, and the sound of his name on her lips made him shudder. On instinct he leaned forward and captured her lips in a kiss, soft and sudden, before backing up and blinking.

"I promise," the rumble sounded deep in his chest, the beast making its presence known, "for you I promise." Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes wide, "I need you to know something that Snape may or may not. I was not just given one task tonight, I was given a second." Her eyes lifted in question and his hands shook, "tonight there will be death eaters in the castle." Her quick gasp felt like a stab to his heart, "I need to let them in, I don't want anyone hurt, I never wanted any of this, but I need to let you know. I NEED you to be safe Hermione."

Her name was whispered off of his lips like a prayer. Those large doe eyes of hers looked straight through him and then she nodded. The temptation of her was too great, and he pulled her close. His need for her overriding all other instincts, tonight he would be the reason for many to hate him and he had to keep her safe. The need to know she was okay was staggering so he did all he could do; he held her close and breathed in her scent. "Draco..." The name on her lips caused him to groan and pull back, only to be pushed against the wall. Soft lips met his chapped and broken ones, he swore he saw stars. The crack of apperiton startled them and they pulled apart.

"Stay safe my love, you need to go. I will heed your warning." She nodded with tears in her eyes and left the room of requirement, hopefully to get far was time to do what needed done.

The green flash of the killing curse startled him, he was not prepared to see a man that he respected die in such a way. Knowing it was coming had not prepared him in the least. Snape's face was impassive, but he could smell the pain radiating off of him in waves. They had planned this, Snape and Dumbledore, they planned this whole thing to keep him from killing the headmaster. Almost as suddenly as he was standing there, the headmaster had fallen off of the tower and they were on the move.

There was a screech from behind him and the dark mark lit up the sky. A sinking feeling took over them as they moved through the halls of the school, and yet they encountered no one. They had made it to the main floor and Bellatrix decimated the great hall. Shame poured out of him in waves as he watched the destruction, the beast in his head howled, but they were moving again. Snape stopped outside Hagrid's hut where Bellatrix began her destruction once more. The disgust eeking from his professor made him want to sneeze, but Snape pushed him onward.

There was a voice that he could hear, screaming at Snape. Betrayal marked the air as he watched his professor deflect each spell that was sent his way. His beast carried him away and into the forest. He wanted to turn and run back to assure her that he was well but he knew he had to keep moving. The pull to his mate was great, but the werewolf knew that to keep her safe he needed to go.

When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light ... that split the night ... and touched the sound of silence...

The wolf growled angrily in the back of his throat, he knew that his mate was doing something she shouldn't, putting herself in harm's way for someone other than him. The boy whose human skin he wore could do nothing as the man who eked evil and death sent out his men to do his bidding. His eyes followed that of Severus Snape as they walked out of the mannor that once belonged to the boy to the apparition point. Something about Snape always smelt off when it came to the movements of this order they spoke of, but the wolf knew that this man was on his side and would help him protect his mate.

As the group of Death Eaters breached the barrier around the manor they disappeared with a crack. The wolf held back just a second before he too joined in this dance with death. He knew it for what it was, even if he had to wear the robes and masks that smelled of death, that going against this order could be the death of him. If he was alone he would not have cared, but he had her, he knew that she would be able to feel it if something happened to him, she would know. He had to take care tonight, but he also knew that he had to hinder the plans of death tonight. Snape had told him what to do, he didn't like death man and his orders, he much prefered Snape.

The sky was alight with magic when he joined the group, curses and jinx flying in every direction. Spells bounced off of him as if he were casting a shield charm, but it was just the wolf. The boy cast subtle jinx here and a slight curse there, but there was more protection in what he was doing. He was not sure of the specifics, but he knew that he had to protect everyone who was not wearing death that night. He heard the crack before casting a quick disillusionment charm on one of the order, the boy knew who it was and sent a quick stunning jinx to make it look like he fell from the sky. The death in the sky had a sense of glee as the broom fell, but a quick impedimenta slowed his dissent.

The smell of blood lit up the night sky like a shot of lightning and soon thereafter a bright green light shot across the skies. Death had found it's target and the rest of them were falling back to leave. The boy cast more protection charms before meeting up with the rest of the group he had left with. "Send the whelp for the body, least he could do... Worthless..." He heard McNair grumble from under his mask. Snape sent the order for Draco to go collect the body of Mad-Eye Moody. Both of them knew there would be nothing good to come of his search, but he left all the same. Moody was where he had left him, stunned. A quick revive and a letter set in Moody's pocket was all Draco did before disappearing into the night. He had to find a body to transfigure and an eye to pick up.

And in the naked light I saw... Ten thousand people, maybe more... People talking without speaking... people hearing without listening...

His mate was in pain, a turmoil that he could not help. The wolf banged around inside the head of the boy, making sure the boy did as little evil as possible. The wolf noticed that there was an uprising at Hogwarts that year, and instead of stopping it like the stale smelling Carrows wanted him to, he helped were he could. Cornering Longbottom in the hall was the first step, He said nothing to him, but handed him a charmed galleon. The boy who smelled of moss and lake water understood the meaning. Helping her friends was the only thing that was keeping him going.

Gathering supplies was easy for him, he could slip around undetected and put things for Longbottom to collect and take to his horde. Food was tricky, but he enlisted the help of Dobby and Winky to send food to the room of requirement when they were able. The Carrows took pleasure in minimizing meals for those not in Slytherin house, so they watched the food rather closely. The worst by far was medical potions and supplies of the like, for this he had to enlist Snape's help. The ex Potions master gave Draco the use of the now empty 3rd floor corridor and had an elaborate potions set up there for him to use. A few Slytherins helped take up the cause of brewing including Zabini, Nott, Parkinson, Greengrass, Davis, Bulstrode, and the young twin Carrows. The last was a surprise, but even they knew that what the elder Carrows were doing was wrong.

Torture, the sounds of it filled the halls. Prefects were told to use it on students out of bed at night, and in Dark arts class they were taught how to use them effectively by practice on the students. Longbottom taught his followers signals and who to go to during the classes. They were taught to fake it, and sometimes even wandless protection spells were cast right under the Carrows 's army was being kept alive, being strengthened everyday, with very few people knowing. m Keeping those that were going to be helping his mate was paramount. He knew that she was going to need their help, some point soon.

They had not initiated the bond, however he could feel her there under his skin. The wolf wanted nothing more than to find her, but the boy knew that he would be doing more good here protecting the students as he could. Sticking with Snape was his only option, if he was at the manor he would be a prisoner, here he could do what he needed to. Her emotions were not blatant, but when there was an extreme, he could feel that. Right now there was something that was greatly upsetting her and he ached to fix whatever it was that was causing the feeling. The wolf prowled inside his head wanting to break free, not even caring that the full moon was still ages away, it wanted out and it wanted it's mate.

People writing songs that voices never share... And no one dare... Disturb the sound of silence...

Winter used to bring the boy happiness, once upon a time. Now with the wolf prowling in his head and the stench of death all around the manor, he hated coming home. He stood dreading the upcoming day where he would have to go back to that cold manor... For now he was content in the knowledge that something was making Death angry. There was a meeting a few nights ago and Snape came back smelling more of decay than death. It was then that the boy was let in on the secret. The reason his mate was not near him she was out there hunting something that decay did not want them to find.

The full moon was upon him, and he let the ground pound under his paws. Eating up distance in the forbidden forest never felt so freeing than it was in that moment with the snow falling softly. The heart inside his chest leapt to life, but not in the joy he expected, but rather in fear. His mate was in danger, but he could not help her. He howled his displeasure at the moon practically begging for it to help him, to help HER, but the moon could not listen. The moon had no sway in how this game was progressing. Dice were in motion and the wheel of fate was slowly turning to do the things that needed done. So he ran, tearing up the earth and snow, letting his lungs freeze with each frozen breath.

Soon his body was too tired to continue, it needed to stop and rest. The fear in his chest was slowly dissipating and he knew that she had found herself back at a safe place. Maddingly this brought the wolf no relief. His mournful howl broke the silence of the night as he slowly loped his way back towards the school. It would do no good to freeze to death in the cold once his body turned back to the boy. There was too much at stake for him to die just yet.

"Fools," Said I, "You do not know: Silence, like a cancer, grows. Hear my words that I might teach you. Take my arms that I might reach you,"

Something was wrong, very wrong. He could feel her fear, he could almost taste it. Then like a rock being dropped in water he could smell her. She was here, in the manor. Tremors shot through him and he vomited on the floor. She had gotten herself caught! Fuck... On shaky legs he made it to his door when he heard the crazy one bark for him. "Get Draco, NOW!" Mentally he let his wolf lend him strength enough to get downstairs. They were all here, not just her, but the idiots she called friends were there in his home. Did they not know that they needed to be out there thwarting Decay and his chipper band of miscreants? Not here in his home surrounded by the scum that contained him and his family in his house? For Merlin's sake, it was just Christmas!

Her scent washed over him and it helped soothe his wolf, but before he could go in there he had something he had to do. He palmed the Galleon in his pocket and whispered the words to shoot off the message. Longbottom would know what to do with it, he would take the proper could hear her cries and his wolf was battering the inside of his skull seeking retribution. Calmly he walked down and into the room where she was being held. "Is this them?" Looking over the figures in the room he could tell right away who they were, but knew that he couldn't say anything. They needed to get out of here, he had to find a way to get them somewhere alone. Mumbling a non answer he moved from person to person, trying to come up with a solution, when the situation was taken out of his hands.

Just as his father was about to call death, the scream ripped into the room and Bella attacked the snatchers. Potter and Weasley were tossed in the cellar by his mother and he was left in the room with his father and aunt... and her. Moving to the corner of the room he made eye contact with her and entered her mind, it was the only thing that was going to keep her sane. Silence. Her heart rate eased, but she still screamed and thrashed as she knew she needed to. The wolf comforted her and took the brunt of her pain, and allowed the human to focus, and all he could hear was silence. He heard the elf and knew that soon she would be rescued, and that was all he could ask for, really. In that moment all hell broke loose, the chandelier crashed to the floor, he was tossed from her mind and he all but handed Potter his wand... But they were safe, and she was gone.

Watching Bella dance with glee he wondered for a moment if they were okay, but he could feel how tired she was, she needed rest. Entering her mind formed a stronger connection, but he was glad to know she was safe.

But my words like silent raindrops fell, and echoed in the wells of silence...

The crazy bint had broken into gringotts! Rode out on a bloody dragon! Merlin...The wolf in his head danced in some pleased, proud, glee. Of course his mate was tough, determined, fierce, she was a lion. The consequences were severe, dozens of goblins were killed simply for being in the vicinity. Decay was unimpressed with the Malfoy's and kept him and his family locked in the manor. Longbottom kept him abreast of any news at the school, and decay was sure that Potter would eventually go back there. The rumor was that Decay had entrusted to Bella a cup of much significance and she had put it in her safe at Gringotts, which is what they had taken. It seemed that quite a few members of the inner circle were not familiar with what the cup meant to Decay.

The human did a little digging and realized the significance of the cup, and why Death began to smell of decay. The item was a horcrux. Very dark, vile, evil bit of magic. Death had made too many, his soul was stretched thin, and with each ones demise, he became that much more fragile. Death was decaying, he was doing the one thing he had feared, dying. There was limited research other than a brief mention in one of the books in his family library, but there was some thing that did help him. He now understood the significance of the sword of Gryffindor, other than why Bella was so upset at seeing it. Potter had used it in second year, according to rumor, in the chamber of secrets to defeat the basilisk. If that was true, than the reason that the blade was so important is because it was goblin made, it took in the power of the venom of the snake. That snake had already destroyed one horcrux, that diary that his father had slipped the Weasley girl.

Now his father's punishment made sense, he took his father's magic and his future. Taking Lucius' wand was the first infecting Draco the second. Palming his galleon, e alerted Neville that Potter would be coming back to the school someway, and that they needed to figure out a way to get them in. Longbottom was resourceful, and when the right people were in place they could make the right things happen. In his room he wrote a note for his mates still at the school and let them know what was going on and what to prepare for via their enchanted parchment. Things were falling into place, and all he could hope for was that Hermione had gotten what she needed and this would end soon.

He drempt of her that night, her curls tangled in his fingers, her lips pressed softly against his. There was no sound, just as there never were in his dreams anymore. All the other feelings were intensified, but they were always silent. He wondered if it was the connection that he created, the pull that was always there but now amplified. Had that connection severed his ability to talk to her in his sleep? The wolf didn't mind, he just enjoyed feeling his mate close. The silence he could handle the distance he could not. The wolf knew that the war was coming to a head and he wanted to be able to protect her. The moment that the wards came down around the manor he would be gone, headed back to the school, making sure she was safe.

And the people bowed and prayed... to the neon god they made... and the sign flashed out its warning... in the words that it was forming...

He stopped Crabbe from killing them, but he couldn't stop this fire, nor his once friend falling into the flames of his own creation. She had come back for him, and for that he was grateful. They were standing outside the room of requirement staring at each other. " We need to get into the chamber of secrets, we need a fang from the snake." Hermione looked between Him, Potter and Weasley.

"Here," He spoke up and tossed a small pouch into her hands, "It was easy to convince Myrtle to help me reach them when she knew I was going to be helping Potter with them." Weasley looked like he wanted to argue, but said nothing as the sounds of war erupted around them. Potter nodded and handed each of us a fang.

"Nagini is another, " Potter looked at him, trying to figure out how much he knew. The human nodded while the wolf kept his eye on her. With one last nod Potter pulled Weasley away and down the hall.

"Looks like you are stuck with me," She smiled and held up her fang. He reached up with his thumb and brushed some soot off her face. Forever he whispered across her mind and followed her off in the opposite direction. Spells were flying in every direction, bodies hitting the floor. He followed his mate through the danger, shielding her when she could not, fighting at her back. His spells hit those that thought he was on their side, catching them off guard. The smell of smoke and the taste of dust clogged his senses, he was sure that he couldn't hear anymore over the screams. All he knew was what he could feel, Hermione at his back.

Once the rubble cleared and those lost and injured were acounted for the numbers were stagering. Neville came up and hugged him in the end. He stood there with Hermione, looking over the ones that were lost when he heard the approach of the other wizard. It was truly unexpected, but not entirely unwelcome. He was introduced to person after person that was important to her, he felt pride in his mate, for all she had helped accomplish. He never left her side, not when she was smiling there with him, not when her face turned pale, not when she collapsed in his arms, and not when they were wisked off to St Mungos.

And the sign said... "The words of prophets are written on the subway walls... and tenement halls... And whispered in the sound of silence..."

He stood alone staring at the small grave on the ground. It was one of many, one of the souls who were lost during the war, but this one... In his head the wolf howled out a mournful note, trying to get out his grief, but it was no use. How can you let out a grief like that, how does one express that emotion. Loss is so powerful, many died, but this one death... Perhaps the full moon was too close, perhaps he shouldn't have come here today to do this, it was a compulsion.

Every year since the grave had been put there he came here to say his respects, to mourn. The wolf was edgy and agitated, it no longer wanted to be here, it wanted to be anywhere else. One would think that after 5 years this grave wouldn't hurt him so much, that he would be able to just let go. Never he thought ruefully, he could never let this go. The pain engulfed him every time he thought about it, but he still had to come back here time after time. There didn't seem to be a need for this grief after so long, but it always would remain. No matter how much he worked to redeem his name, how many people vouched for him, he always felt responsible for this death.

Letting the sensation of apparition take him he imagined his home, the one set back into the woods where he would go when it was this close to the moon. His wolfsbane was brewing away waiting for him to take his evening dose. The fire crackled in the hearth, the silence surrounded him for just a moment. He needed to decompress, there was no need to bring all that grief home. It did not have a place here, only there in that graveyard. That was the only place he felt he could show that grief, it did not need to interfere with the life he now had.

"Daddy!" The squeal cut into his musings and he turned as a small body collided with his leg. A riotous bunch of blonde curls bounced at the impact. "Mummy didn't think you would be home in time!" Reaching down he picked up the little lad, always happy to see his son. He growled lightly as he hugged the boy, listening to the peals of laughter. "Daddy! Stop it!"

"Where is mummy then? Shall I give her cuddles?" He knew exactly where his mate was, he always did, but he liked it when Scorpius showed him around. Setting the boy down he watched as his little legs carried him down the hall and away from the kitchen. He took his potion before he lost track of time, as he was often accused of around his mate, and took off after the rambunctious 4 year old. His mate was still in bed? That was odd, usually Hermione was up and about well before this. He could see Scorpius sitting beside her, and then his gaze went to her face. It seemed to be scrunched up in... pain? "Hermione?"

"Draco! " She put her hand out and he rushed to her side. "Its time! I oh!" He watched as her belly moved and she groaned in pain. "This baby is ready to come out! But its too close to the moon! Draco!" She was frantic now. Clutching at his hand and trying to breathe.

"Love, the moon will not be full until tomorrow. I may be a bit cranky tonight, but I can put that aside for you, just breathe. I will alert Potter and send for a healer, just breathe." He squeezed her shoulder and went to retrieve his wand from the kitchen when she pulled him back down.

"No time! Now Draco!" His name ended on a scream as her body convulsed and she pushed. Draco got into a position to help his mate and urged his son from the room by calling an elf. Three appeared in the room, one to take his son and the other two to help his mate. They knew what to do better than him to help her get his children into the world. Hermione was not pleased when he announced that there was more than one heartbeat. Refused to believe that she would have more than one, but it was true there were two in there at least, he wouldn't be supersized if there was more than that with the way she swelled and smelled. Life with his mate had never been easy, but now it was perfect. With so much noise in the house it was a wonder that he used to know nothing but the sound of silence.


End file.
